- : 4.0
Getting There: Take a taxi to MBK - all the taxis know it. Or take the Skytrain to National Stadium station which is directly connected to MBK. You can also walk from Siam station as well.
Hours: 10:00am-10:00pmPhone: +66 (0) 2620 9111
Website: http://www.mbk-center.com/
Amenities: Parking, Drinks, Food
I think men have some trouble rating shopping malls as shopping is something we don’t rate highly. However, MBK fits the description of a ‘one stop shop’ better than most other malls I have visited. It does take a number of visits to get your bearings and it can often be difficult for the newbie to find the next escalator up (or down)when on one of the innumerable in-between floors. There is a lot of tat about and inexplicably there is an ‘office furniture’ floor where the staff outnumber the customers. Most times I have visited it has been in the company of a member of the fairer sex (normally farangs). She is in her element and I am just a casual heel dragger. But the reason I take them there is that most things they are likely to want can be found in this one place (eventually) and it wears them out so there is no danger of getting dragged round other malls. I have chilled in the coffee shop and had the quite excellent foot-massage (at the far end of the penultimate floor) while she-who-must-be-catered-for has wandered round doing her stuff. I hate shopping, but if I have to go to one place, it’s MBK.
View all reviews by doctorbond
I Hadnt been to MBK for maybe 9 months and this post gave me an urge to check it out so I went today.
I remember when I used to come here as a holidaymaker me and friends would spend hours upon hours milling round and people watching, just taking the hustle and bustle of the place in.
As far as atmosphere and buzz goes this place cannot be beaten (as previously mentioned it seems a weird comment about a shopping centre)
The harsh reality is though that they do sell a lot of overpriced ferang orientated tat, mainly fake billabong, quicksilver and other lairy holidaywear and jeans. Today I was cringing as I witnessed ferangs paying say 150baht for say a string necklace that i’d pay maybe 20 baht for at my local market, and they were thinking they got a bargain, but hey. This place is printed in every tourguide book and it shows as there is a large customer base of poorly dressed ferangs looking like they are heading to the beach.
However they have literally millions of gadgets, gizmos and especially mobile phones and bootlegged software from the 4th-5th floor which is quite a sight, and they have a really good food court on the 5th and 6th floor (6th floor is cheaper but personally I prefer the thai food there)
Not a place I would actually go ’shopping’ in but definately good fun to walk around.
The cinema on the top floor is quite good, and the bowling alley can be full of young single girls hanging out at the right time of day.
View all reviews by Young Penfold
I feel silly talking about the ‘energy’ of a shopping mall, but for sure MBK has it — lots of it. Going to MBK somehow feels a lot like going to the County Fair. There are always crowds of people, and you often have to push your way through to get where you’re going.
It’s a mid-level mall with a wide selection of products. There are tons of little stalls and small shops where you can find specialty items, and one or two decent departments stores, but really the appeal of MBK is the people.
You’ll see a mix of all nationalities, and a both tourists and locals jammed into a tight space. They all look like they have to get somewhere in a hurry, but usually it’s just the next level up or down in this 7-story mall.
Traditionally the 5th floor which holds the furniture shops has been dead, while the rest of the building is jammed with people. About 8 months back the MBK management set up the escalators so that once you get to the 5th floor you have to walk around to the other side to continue moving up or down. This is a pain in the butt, but I understand why the merchants would want this to happen.
Then, about 4 or 5 months ago a new food court was added at one end of the fifth floor, away from the escalators, to give people a reason to walk though this level.
The new food court is very different in style from the older one up on the highest level near the cinemas. The new one is upscale, with a wide selection of international cuisines, and a decor pack that looks like it would be at home in the more upscale shopping malls like Emporium, Central World or Central Chit Lom.
The great part is that you get this great food court at MBK prices.
I agree that the cinemas are not as good as some of the others on offer, but with the wide selection of chain restaurants, bowling, karaoke, video games and internet cafes crowded around the cinemas I reckon this is a good movie experience.
MBK is connected directly to the National Stadium BTS station and is an easy walk from all of the shoppping malls at Siam.
For a shopping experience that will raise your energy and lift your spirits I figure you’ll have a hard time beating MBK.
If you’ve never seen 3 million mobile phones all in one place, go to the fourth floor. It’s amazing.
View all reviews by werewolf
From a tourist’s perspective MBK is an institution and for sure locals frequent it as well.
I used to go more than I do now. For clothes I think the Pratunam area has the same stuff but cheaper.
For movies the place is okay but I think Central world has a better theater since it is newer.
For phones and stuff I used Fortune Town.
I do love the food court at MBK though.
I also like the video game joints, the tshirt joints and the people watching.
View all reviews by dreampipe